[1] Exie Attia is one of the Boys ✓ | LILY EVANS

Chapter Twenty

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[ CHAPTER TWENTY ]
The James Potter Effect, Baby

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In theory, Lily and the Marauders hanging out was a lovely idea. It was in fact what they'd been aiming for all along. Lily was great, the boys were great! If they were friends their plan could continue on further. Plus if everyone liked each other, maybe she'd actually tell someone other than Remus about the semi-crush she was having ... maybe.

Yet for some reason as the two girls made their way to the dorm, the whole idea filled Exie with more dread than every time she'd ever forgotten to do her homework combined.

Usually when she came in, she'd pick a bed at random and toss herself onto it like a sack of potatoes. Nobody was immune, even the absent Rudy and she loved not even having to think about it. But today it was different. As they opened the door, a hush fell over the room. Exie suddenly felt like a stranger in her own home.

"Er ... make yourself at home," James was forced to prompt. Instead of going for a bed, Lily shuffled to the middle before sitting on the floor. The four boys looked a bit confused as after a moment, Exie followed.

"Sitting on the floor, ladies?" James grinned, "That's a new one... " He slapped his hands together, hoisting himself up and plonking down in front of them, "This how you do it in the girls' dorms then?"

Nobody replied for a bit too long so Exie decided a new topic was needed, "So ... have we missed much of the celebrations yet?"

"Nah, 'course not," James grinned, "It's not a party without Exie Attia."

"Oh shit, it's a party?" Exie glanced down at her muddy boots and baggy shirt masquerading as a dress, "You could have warned me, I would have dressed up!"

"Thought this was you dressed up," Sirius winked.

"Yeah," James added cheekily, "That shirt doesn't even have any food stains on it!"

"Oi, behave! I'll have you know this was my Dad's which he only brought out for the finest occasions!"

The three of them sniggered before Lily gave a slight cough, primly and quietly asking, "Um ... so what exactly are we celebrating here?" Ehe was met with blank stares, "Exie mentioned you'd done something cool and wanted to celebrate..."

All their eyes suddenly went wide in sync as they contemplated how to handle this. Of course they couldn't tell Lily about their plan, it had been careless of Exie to even mention they'd completed something cool in the first place. The already tight knot in her stomach constricted even further, her head feeling a little woosy. Maybe a sleep attack wouldn't be the worst thing in the world right about know. It would definitely be a neat little distraction.